Leveling-instrument



(No Model.)

0,.,H. WOODWORTH.

LEVBLING INSTRUMENT. Y

Patented Jan. l5, 1895.

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NTTaiEiD STATES ORSON H. WOODWORTH, OF COLUMBIA OI'IY, INDIANA.`

LEVELlNG-INSTRUMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 532,515, dated January 15, 1895. Application led April 30, 1894. Serial No. 509,525. (No model.)

T0 all whom, it muy concern,.-

Be it known that I, ORSON H. WooDWoR'rH, a citizen of the United States, residing at `Oolumbia City, in the county of Whitley andv State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Leveling-lnstru ments; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to. make and use the same, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and igures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in leveling instruments for thev use of carpenters, masons, civil engineers and others, and consists in the constructiomarrangement and combination of its various parts or elements, all substantially as hereinafter described and illustrated. t

In the accompanying drawings similar letters and figures 0f reference indicate corresponding parts of the invention throughout the several views.

Figure 1 of said drawings is a front elevation in perspective of the exterior of the instrument. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal, central, sectional detailed view on line 6, 7, 8, and Fig. 3 is a transverse, central sectional view of the parts bisected by line 9, 10, 1l.

A indicates the stock or`frame of the instrument,-said stock being usually made in two equal front and rear portions, A2 and A3, firmly united by bolts or screws, h, h.

B is an index disk, the upper half of which is shown by B2, and the lower half by B3.

The disk is made integrally of a thin piece ofv metal or other suitable material and the upper and lower halves of its face are separated by a heavy, dark line, 12, drawn centrally across the face, thus dividing it into upper and lower halves, which are enameled, painted or colored in dierent and contrasting colorsf-asred forthe upper and blue for the lower half of said face,-thereby providing that when the instrument is applied to any surface having any inclination from the eX- act horizontal, that fact shall be plainly indicated by arrow 15, attached to or emblav zoned on the upperhalf of the face B, and also by the different and contrasting colors of the two halves of said face, the heavy line 12 between them and the two heavy lines, 13 and 14, drawn longitudinally and centrally on the outer' front surface of stock A, as shown in Fig. 1.

O is the shaft, pivoted at both ends, F and F-sad pivots working freely in jeweled, polished or anti-friction-wheel bearings, J and J2, attached to or formed in the upper ends of standards 16 and 17, forming parts of the shaft-supporter, G, screwed or bolted to the stock, as at H, H, H.

Locking disk, D, is firmly attached to and carried by shaft C, and is finely milled on its periphery, M, and carries near its lower edge, just inside of said milled periphery, the gravity weight, E, securely affixed to said ldisk. The index disks, B, are firmly attached to the outer ends of, and carried by, the pivots,l F and F2, and the weight, the arrow on each index disk, the contrasting colors thereon and the heavy line separating them into halves, being all arranged and adjusted as set forth to produce that result, it follows that when the unlocked instrument is applied to a horizontal surface, the arrow will point perpendicularly and the face of each index disk will assume in relation to the whole instrument the position shown in Fig. 1.

K and K2 are the locking clamps or jaws, having their clamp-carriers, 18 and 19, jointed to the stock at 'm and m2. Point P,of clampcarrier 18, extends to and is inserted under shoulder, of push-pin d2, and held up against said shoulder by mainspring S. To clampcarrier 18, at n, is jointed baro, the lower end of which is jointed at n2, to clamp carrier 19, which is jointed to the stock at m2, and carries clamp K2.' v

`and. thus hold disk D, securely locked without slipping, when the locking clamps and their soles simultaneously close on the opposite edges of said milled periphery. Y

The two halves A2 and A3, of stock A, are hollowed out or cut away on their inner faces sufficiently to admit the operative parts of the instrument, and said parts are mostly attached to the inner face of the rear half of IOO the stock, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3; but said operative parts may be attached to a metal plate or plates fastened to the interior of one or both halves of the stock.

Push-pin a2, extends down to and isjointed, at r4, to bar Q, which is jointed to the stock at Z and jointed at 'r3 to inner end of push-pin 0,4. Push-pin a3 has its inner end jointed to one end of bar R, at r2, and the inner end of push-pin a5 is jointed at R to the other end of said bar, or piece R, which is jointed to the stock at Z2 and is provided with an upward extension T, provided with the hook or catch V adapted to engage the hook or catch W formed on push-pin a2,-said catch V being held up in position to engage catch W by means of the constant pressure of spring S2 on piece R.

Double pushpin a, extends entirely through the instrument between the front and rear halves of the stock, and at its middle, at b, a notch is formed to receive the oscillating rod c, one end of which is freely jointed to the stock at cl, and the other having two flexible prongs or arms,fandf2,-said rod also having the free end of the spring S3 turned upV and through a hole, t', in said rod and thereby normally holding it in the position shown, with its arms or prongs,fand f2, near, but not touching, the milled periphery of disk D. Said push-pin a, is prevented from turning side-Wise, and from being pushed too far up or down in the stock, by means of the stops e and e2 inserted in the stock, and also by the shoulders, e3 and e4, formed in said push-pin.

All the push-pins move freely u p and down between the two halves of the stock and in the grooves to which they are adapted as shown, and all the various parts employed in the locking, unlocking, or other practical manipulations of the instrument, are so attached, pivoted, or jointed to each other, or to the stock, as to ad mit of the free and properly adjusted movement of all the operative parts of the invention.

The degree scale surrounding the index disk, B, may be marked on the stock or on a part attached thereto, and is covered and protected by the glass, g, which may be placed very near the face of said disk, because there is nothing projecting outwardly therefrom.

Spearhead 20, on disk B, points to O on the degree scale when the instrument is applied to perpendicular surfaces, and in such cases performs the same office that the arrow does when the instrument is applied to horizontal surfaces.

It is evident that an index disk `may be carried on the outer ends of one or both pivots of the shaft, as may be preferred, and if but one disk be employed, that one should be used in the front half of the instrument, as in Fig. l.

By properly proportioning the devices described, the locking clamps, K and K2, are so adjusted in their simultaneity of movement and in the equal degree of pressure exerted by each when disk D and its attachments are being locked that the clamps both close on directly opposite sides of the milled periphery at the same instant and with the same degree of pressure,-thereby effectually preventing any slipping of the soles of the clamps on the milled periphery, any variation of the index or locking disks, and any bending or breaking of the pivots or injury to the pivot bearings.

W2 is a tablet inserted in the front side of the instrument and showing a list or table of inclinations per foot corresponding with the degrees on the scale as pointed out by the ar row when different levelings are taken and the results secured by locking the instrument. This list or table is enameled or otherwise inscribed on the tablet, which is made of porcelain, metal or other suitable material and sunk in the front side of the stock, where it may be conveniently referred to at any time.

Having thus indicated and described the various parts or elements constituting my invention, I now proceed to describe the practical operation and use thereof.

Assuming that the operative partsof the instrument are in the unlocked positions indicated in the drawings, (Figs. 2 and 3,) and that we wish to take a measurement or leveling of agiven surface,we place the instrument on said surface, with push-pins 0.2 and a3 upward, and then, with a linger, push down briskly on, and quickly withdraw the finger from, the head of push-pin a. This pushing movement presses notch b, in push-pin a, against oscillating rod c, turns it on its pivot or joint d, and carries arm f of said rod against the milled edge of locking disk D, at about point j, on said disk, and said arm being flexible, its point adheres closely to said milled edge or periphery and pushes the disk around until arms f2 andf and rod c reach the positions indicated bythe broken lines and jz, and then by the action of spring, S3, in returning to its present position and carrying rod c and pushpin a back to their present positions, an oscillatory motion is imparted to disk D, and through it to weight E, shaft C, pivots F and F2, and the index disks B, attached to and carried by said pivots. This oscillatory motion continues for a short time until the weight settles to its lowest attainable point, stops the motion and causes the arrow 15,011 the index disk, to point perpendicularly to the mark or figure on the degree scale corresponding with the horizontality, or Variation therefrom, of the surface on which the instrument is resting. When the oscillatory motion has entirely ceased, a light pressure downward on push-pin a, or upward on push-pin a5, throws extension T outward, as per broken lines, and thus disengages catch V from catch Tfwhereupon mainspring S instantly presses point P upward, carries push-pin a2 to the npper surface of the instrument and push-pin a4 to the lower surface thereof, turns clamp-carrier 18 ou its pivot or joint m, and, through IOO IIO

bar o, turns clamp-carrier 19 on its pivot or joint m2, and thus closes the clamps K and K2 simultaneously against directly opposite edges of disk D,-thereby instantly locking said disk and all its attachments securely in position,-said locking being the direct result of disengaging catches V and VW and thus permitting the mainspring to actuate the carriers and the clamps carried by them. After thus locking the instrument it can be removed from the aforesaid surface and carried about at will for close and careful examination, with the disks, arrow, shaft and weight remaining rigidly locked in position for inspection,-thus furnishing a portable record of the comparative horizontality of the surface to which the instrument was last applied and its operative parts locked before removal therefrom. This lockable feature of the in'- strument renders it especially valuable for ments, are fully competent to apply this one to almost any given surface, operate the oscillatory devices thereof by pressure on. pushpin a, and lock`or unlock its operative parts by pressing push-pins a2, a3, 0,4, or a5. Theunlocking is effected by pressing on push-pin a2 from the top, or on a4 from the bottom, of the instrument,-the effect in either case being to cause catchVto engage catch W and thereby Withdraw the pressure of the clamps from the milled edges of disk, D, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

When the instrument rests unlocked on a horizontal surface, the arrow points perpendicularly and lines l2, 18 and 14 are exact-ly in line with eachother. .These lines are made plain and prominent, and any variation of the instrument from a true horizontal throws all of said lines out of coincidence and quickly catches the eye of the observer.

What I claim as my invention, and. desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In aleveling instrument, the combination of the front andrear parts, A2 and A3, of the stock A,-the push-pins a2, a2, a4 and a5, interposed in -grooves between said parts and operable digitally from the top orbottom of the instrument,-the clamp-carriers, 18

and 19, jointed to the stock and connected by the bar, 0,-the clamps, K and K2, provided with soles, L and L2,-locking disk D, provided with its milled periphery M, mounted on pivoted shaft C, and carrying Weight E,- said shaft with its pivots adapted to bearings, J and J2,-the index disks, B, carried on the outer ends of said pivots, and the supporter, G, with its standards, 16 and 17, substantially as set forth.

2. In alevelinginstrument, the combination of the front and rear parts ofthe stock,the double push-pin, a, interposed in grooves between said parts and operable from.- the top or bottom of the instrument,-the notch, b, adapted to receive the oscillating rod, c,- said rod jointed to the stock at d,-spring S2, turned up through the hole, i, in said rod,- the arms, f and f2, of said rod,-the locking disk D, actuatable by said arms,-the shaft C, carrying said disk centrally on said shaft and carrying the index disks B, on the outer ends of its pivots, and the supporter G, with its standards, 16 and 17, substantially as set forth.

3. In aleveling instrument, the combination of the front and rear parts of the stock,-the supporter G, attached to and connecting said parts by fastenings, H, H, H, and supporting the pivoted shaft C, in the bearings J and J2, of its standards 16,and 17,--said shaft thus supported and having the locking disk D, rigf idly affixed thereto,-said disk carrying the weight E, and having its eXtreme periphery Iinely milled or toothed and thereby adapted to engage the soles L and L2, of the clamps K and K2, and thus lock the instrument,.sub stantially as set forth. v

4. In a leveling instrument, the combination of the stock',-the clamp-carriers jointed to the stock and connected by bar, 0,-the clamps adapted to close on opposite edges ofthe milled periphery 0f. the locking disk,-said locking disk,-the shaft carrying said disk and the weight attached thereto and having its pivots supported in the bearings of Vthe 'standards of supporter attached to the front and rear parts of the stock, substantially as set forth.

5. As a means for unlocking the clamps from the locking disk of a leveling instrument by pressure on one or more push-pins, the combination of the front and rear parts, A2 and A3, of the stock, A,the mainspring S, bearing under point P, of clamp-carrier 18,-the shoulder X, on push-pin A2,-the catch W formed on push-pin a2 and adapted to engage catch V on extension T,-said catch V,- said extension, T,-bar Q carrying said extension and centrally jointed to the stock at Z, and also jointed at r3 to upper inner end of push-pin a4, and at r4 `to the lower inner end of push-pin a2, and said push pins CL2 and a4 jointed to opposite ends of bai` Q, substantially as set forth.

6. In alevelinginstrument, the combination of the clamp-carriers, 18 and 19, jointed to the stock atm and m2, and connected by means of bar, 0, jointed to said carriers at n and n2,tl1e clamps, K and K2, on said carriers and provided with soles L and L2,-the milled periphery, M, oflocking disk, D,said locking disk mounted on pivoted shaft, C, and carrying weight, E,-said shaft with its pivots supported in bearings, J and J2,-the index disks, B, attached to and carried on the outer ends of said pivots, and the supporter, G, with its standards, 16 and 17, substantially asset forth.

7. As a means of locking the clamps on the locking disk of a leveling instrument by press` ure on one or more push-pins, the combination of the front and rear parts, A2 and A3, of the stock A,-the push-pins d3 and 61.5,- the bar R jointed to the inner ends of said push-pins at o' and r2, and centrally jointed to the stock at Z2,-the upward extension T, from said bar,-the catch V on said extension,-

the catch IV on push-pin 0,2, and the spring S2 pressing upward on bar R, substantially as set forth.

8. Inalevelinginstrument,tl1e combination of the stock,--the mainspring actuating the clamp-carriers by upward pressure under point P,-the clamp carriers jointed to the stock,the bar connecting said carriers,- the clamps,the locking disk and the weight carried thereby,-the pivoted shaft supported in the bearings of the standards by means of its pivots, andthe index disks carried on said' pivots, substantially as set forth.

9. In a leveling instrument, the locking disk,the Weight attached thereto and the milled or toothed periphery thereof,the pivoted shaft carrying said disk,-the shaft supporter and its standards provided with pivotbearings,-the pivots and the index disks carried thereby on the outer ends thereof, and the front and rear parts of the stock to which the shaft supporter is attached,-in combination with the herein described means and devices for locking the locking disk and holding said disk, the pivoted shaft and the index disks securely in locked position, substantially as set forth. i

10. In a leveling instrument, the locking disk,the weight attached thereto and the milled or toothed edge thereof,the pivoted shaft carrying said disk,-the shaft supporter and its standards provided with pivot bearings,-the pivots and the index disks carried thereby on the outer ends thereof, and the front and rear parts of the stock to which the shaft supporter is attached,in combination with the herein described means and devices for unlocking the locking disk and releasing said disk and the pivoted shaft and index disks from their previously locked positions, substantially as set forth.

11. In a leveling instrument, the combination of the stock,-the oscillating rod jointed thereto,the double push-pin to actuate said rod,-the notch in said push-pin adapted to receive said rod,-the spring extending through a hole in said rod, the two arms of said rod adapted to oscillate the locking disk,-said locking disk,the weight carried by said disk,-the shaft and the index disks attached to the outer ends of the pivots thereof, substantially as set forth.

12. In a leveling instrument, the locking disk,the Weight attached thereto and the milled or toothed edge thereof,-the pivoted shaft carrying said disk,the shaft supporter and its standards provided With pivot bearings,-the pivots and the index disks carried thereby on the outer ends thereof, and the front and rear longitudinal parts of the stock to which the shaft supporter is attached-in combination with the means and devices herein described for imparting an oscillatory motion to the combined locking disk, weight, pivoted shaft and index disks before taking a measurement by the instrument, substantially as set forth.

13. As means and devices for locking and unlocking the locking disk and thereby holding in position or releasing said disk and its connected parts at will, the push-pins a2 and d4 and the bar Q jointed to their inner ends,- catch IVW-shoulder cc,-point I, of carrier 18,-mainspring S, and the carriers 18 and 19 connected by bar, 0,-in combination with push pins a and e5,-bar R, jointed to said pushpins,-spring S2, and extension T provided with catch V adapted to engage catch W, substantially as set forth.

14. In aleveling instrument, an oscillating rod attached to the stock and provided with two arms adapted to impart an oscillating motion to a locking disk having a serrulated periphery and carried by a pivoted shaft having index disks attached to the outer ends of its pivots, and said locking disk lockable by clamps to hold said disk and its rigidly connected parts in position, as desired.

15. In a leveling instrument, a locking disk carrying a weight, having its periphery milled or toothed and said disk rigidly attached to a pivoted shaft revoluble on its pivots to the outer ends of which index disks are attached, substantially as set forth.

16. In a leveling instrument, index disks carried on the outer ends of the pivots of a pivoted shaft upheld in the bearings of the standards of a supporter attached to and connectin g the front and rear parts of the stock,- said shaft having firmly afiixod thereto alocking disk carrying a Weight and the periphery of said disk being milled or toothed and thereby adapted to being instantly locked without slipping and held in position by clampsK and K2, carried by the clamp carriers 18 and 19, and actuated by a mainspring pressing under point P,said pressure being transferable at will to said carriers and clamps by tripping the connection of catches V and W, or said pressure may be readily withdrawn from said clamps and carriers by pressure on push-pins a2, a3, a4 or e5, as required, substantially as set forth.

17. Iu aleveling instrument, clamps carried by clamp carriers and adapted to the instantaneous locking of the locking disk and the parts rigidly connected therewith by means of a mainspring pressing upward under point I?, and which pressure (when the clamps are open) may be tripped and released at will and allowed to instantly close the clamps on the milled periphery of the locking disk by digital pressure on push-pin ai or a5, substantially as set forth.

18. In a leveling instrument, the instrument stock, consisting of the front and rear parts, A2 and A3, firmly but separably united IOO IXO

by screws or other suitable means and one or both of said parts cut away interiorly or excavated sufciently to admit and inclose the operable elements of the instrument and permit of their proper attachment to one or both of said parts, in combination with a tablet, W2, inserted iu the front surface of said stock, substantially as set forth.

19. In a leveling instrument, the instrument stock, consisting of the front and rear parts, A2 and A3, firmly but separably united by screws or other suitable means and one 0r both of said parts cut away or excavated interiorly sufciently to admit and inclose the operable elements of the instrument and their proper attachment to the interior of one or both of said parts,-the grooves formed in said two parts for the reception and operation between said parts of the push-pins, a, a2, as, a4 and a5, and the tablet inserted in the exterior front surface of the instrument stock,in combination with rod c, stops e and e2, spring S3, supporter Gr, clamp carriers 18 and 19, spring W, bar Q, bar R and spring S2,-all permanently attaehedto the interior of said stock as shown, substantially as set forth.

20. In a leveling instrument, the instrument stock made in two nearly equal longitudinal parts, A2 and A3, firmly but separably united and cut away or formed with sufficient space interiorly to admit'and inclose the operable parts of the instrument and said longitudinal parts having grooves formed therein for the admission and free movementbetween said parts of the push pins a a2, a3, a4 and a5, substantially as set forth.l

2l. In a leveling instrument, the instrument stock made in two nearly equal front and rear longitudinal parts, A2 and A3, firmly but separably united and cut away or formed with sufficient space interiorly to admit and inclose the operable elements of the instrument, and said longitudinal parts having grooves formed in their inner surfaces for the admission and free movement between them of the push-pins a, a2, a3, 0,4 and afl-in combination with the herein described means and devices connected with and actuatable by double push-pin ct, for imparting an oscillatory motion to the locking disk and the parts rigidly connected therewith, and the means and devices connected with and actuatable by push pins 0,2, a3, a4, and a5, for locking and unlocking the locking disk and the parts rigidly connected therewith, substantially as set forth.

22. The stops e and e2, inserted in the stock, and the shoulders formed in double push pin a, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

23. In a leveling instrument, the herein described means and devices for tripping the engaged catches, V and W, and effecting the instantaneous locking of the locking disk, consisting of the push pins a? and a5, jointed to the outer ends of bar R,-said bar centrally jointed to the stock, actuated by spring S2, provided with its upward extension T, on which is formed catch V, adapted to engage catch W, formed on push-pin 0.2,-point P, of clamp carrier 18, pressed upward against shoulder of push-pin a2, by mainspring S, and thus holding the clamps unlocked from the periphery of the locking disk until by pressure on the outer ends of one or both of the push pins, a3, 0.5, catch V is tripped from its engagement with catch W, and being thus released the mainspring presses point P upward, closes the clamps on opposite sides of the locking disk and thereby instantaneously locking said disk, weight, shaft and index disks in position, substantiallyv as set forth.

- ORSON H. WOODWORTH.

Witnesses:

CURTIS W. JONES, E. B. RYAN. 

